Gas turbine systems are useful in generating electricity. These types of systems are particularly convenient in that they can be constructed quickly; they are also desirable because they produce fewer harmful emissions than coal or oil based turbine systems. Gas turbines utilize air for combustion purposes. Due to the precision moving parts in these types of systems, the combustion air needs to be clean. To ensure clean air for combustion, air filters have been used to clean the air taken into the gas turbine system.
Filters are used to purify the air intake for gas turbines. The filter media used for the purification, over time, will load with contaminant. Filters are used until they are plugged (contaminant blocks all flow through the media) or until a predetermined restriction level is reached. Both are associated with flow and the work necessary to move the flow. Either too little fluid is allowed to flow through, or too much work is required to move the desired flow due to the higher restriction.
In some systems, pulse jet cleaning is used to periodically remove contaminant from the upstream side of the filter media. Using pulse cleaning increases the life of the filter by decreasing the restriction and increasing the service interval. Pulse cleaning has been used with pleated filters in arrangements described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,364,751; 4,218,227; 4,331,459; and 5,575,826, each of which is incorporated by reference herein. In addition, pulse-cleaning is used with z-media arranged in V-packs, as described in commonly assigned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/731564, filed Dec. 8, 2003, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. Pulse cleaning removes at least some of the dust and contaminant from the upstream side of the filters. The dust and debris are allowed to fall by gravity down into collection hoppers.